Discover the best of Laos from the tranquil French colonial city of Luang Prabang, the capital of Vientiane, the mysterious Plain of Jars, rural Pakse and the riverine island of Don Khong on the MekongPlan your tailor-made holiday

Itinerary

Vientiane

Vientiane city tour

After breakfast we explore the charming and laid-back capital of Laos with a city tour. We visit the oldest Buddhist monastery temple in the country - Wat Si Saket – and the former royal temple of Haw Pha Kaeo, built to house the famed Emerald Buddha. Today it serves as the national museum of religious art. Learn about Laos’ tragic past and present suffering at the COPE Centre, an organization that works with victims of unexploded bombs and mines. Next visit Pha That Luang, the most important monument in Laos and a symbol of both Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty.

We also stop to view the imposing Patuxay monument - Vientiane’s own Arc de Triomphe. Later in the afternoon enjoy time exploring the hundreds of Hindu and Buddhist sculptures scattered throughout Buddha Park. End the day with a sunset dinner besides the Mekong River. Overnight: Vientiane | Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3

Vang Vieng

Vientiane – Vang Vieng. We leave the capital early and journey north through lush countryside to Vang Vieng. Along the way we visit Ban Keun, famous for its salt extraction plant and a village of local Lao rice wine whiskey distillation. A next stop is the busy and colourful market of Thalat, where local hill tribes come to trade and shop and also visit the archaeological site of Vang Xang that dates back to the 11th century. Arriving at Vang Vieng, nestled on the banks of the Nam Song River is our delightfully rustic and rural hotel. The remainder of the day offers free time, perhaps opt to explore the local caves or take a bicycle ride through the surrounding countryside.Overnight: Vang Vieng | Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4

Tham Jang Caves

Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang. This morning we explore the famous caves of Tham Jang once used by the local people as a hideout during Chinese invasions. We observe the lifestyles of the local people at Ban Huai Ngai village before making our way further north to the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Luang Prabang.Overnight: Luang Prabang | Breakfast

Consider rising early this morning to view the daily ritual of saffron-clad monks and their procession down the streets of Luang Prabang collecting alms from the residents.
After breakfast this morning we hop on a vintage tuk-tuk and explore the old town of Luang Prabang. Our first stop will be at the bustling morning market where we'll learn about some of the local products on offer. We will then visit the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its low sweeping roof representing traditional Laotian architecture. We end our morning at the impressive former Royal Palace which is now a national museum filled with ornate reception rooms and spectacular artifacts.

This afternoon we make our way out to Khuangsi Waterfall, stopping en route at local villages to discover the different ethnic groups in this region. At the falls we can take in a dip in the turquoise pools, enjoy the scenery or explore the forest on one the walking trails. Overnight: Luang Prabang | Breakfast

Day 6

Living Land Farm Experience

Luang Prabang - Hanoi. This morning we head into the idyllic countryside to visit the Living Land Farm for a fun and hands on half day farming experience. Here we learn how rice is planted and cultivated in the rice paddy, we experience the life of a rice farmer and get to join try our hand at some of the farming activities. You can even try to plough the rice paddy with a water buffalo! Then we enjoy a tasty lunch of traditional Lao dishes at the farm's Rice House, while soaking up the spectacular views of rice terraces and mountains beyond.

The afternoon is free for you to independently explore more of Luang Prabang. Consider visiting the sobering UXO Centre to learn more about the Second Indochina War, take in more of the city's beautiful temples or head to the Ock Pop Tock weaving centre set in beautiful tropical gardens. Overnight: Luang Prabang | Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7

Farewell Laos

Saturday. Spend the morning further exploring this delightful city before hotel check out and included departure transfer to the airport.Breakfast

Prices & Dates

Departure dates noted with a 'G' are guaranteed to operate. All other departure dates are guaranteed with a minimum of 2 persons. Prices shown are per person travelling. 'Twin/Double' prices per person apply when there are 2 people travelling, sharing a room. The 'Single supplement' applies for single travellers who require their own room and needs to be added to the 'Twin/Double' price. If you are happy to be paired up with another single traveller of the same sex on your tour, this can be arranged, thus avoiding the single person supplement.

Mercure Hotel, Vientiane

Renowned for offering travellers superb business and leisure conveniences in a pleasant surrounding, the fashionable rooms of this modern hotel are spacious and contemporary in design. Impeccable service is combined with superb amenities including a range of sporting facilities, entertainment services and a fitness centre.

Elephant Crossing Hotel, Vang Vieng

Boasting breath-taking views of majestic limestone mountains, this boutique hotel creates a special Laotian ambience with a traditional open-air sala (pavilion) for relaxing, lounging and dining. The riverside restaurant and bar offers stunning views of the river and surrounding scenery whilst the beautifully furnished rooms each have a private balcony. The accommodation is situated on the banks of the Nam Song River, this hotel is perfectly located for stunning views of the unspoilt landscape of Vang Vieng.

Santi Resort and Spa, Luang Prabang

Set just outside the main town of Luang Prabang, the Santi Resort and Spa is a modern property set in manicured gardens. Guest rooms are set on two levels and are spacious with excellent amenities. Meals are served in the main restaurant and the outdoor pool is perfect for a cooling afternoon dip. If you need to get into town then take advantage of the free shuttle service that runs nearly every hour.
Located on the outskirts of Luang Prabang.

Reviews

Travellers have rated this tour as 4.33
out of 5
based on 3 recent reviews

“

Pom was excellent. Very informative. His English was not the best but overall his other qualities made up for that.

A free day in Luang Prabang would have been better than the trip to the waterfall.

Not sure about the road trip to Vientiane. A plane ride would have been better allowing us to spend more time in that city. There are a number of tourist spots in Vientiane that we missed.

The excursions in Luang Prabang including the Elephant ride were excellent.”

David Niven &bullet; Submitted 11 Dec 2016

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“

What an amazing experience. Laos has been high on my list for many years and this tour did not disappoint. I just happened to arrive during the end of Buddhist Lent which I feel quite honoured to have been able to observe the local people in the temples as they were all still open to the public. The atmosphere was so festive in Vientiane! Vang Vieng was beautiful, would have loved the opportunity to go hot-air ballooning. An early morning spent on the Nam Song river was so peaceful. Luang Prabang was a wonderful way to end the tour. Exploring on foot, and enjoying all that nature has to offer.

Our guide Xang, for our tiny tour of 2 people, was very personable and not only enjoyed sharing his knowledge of the country and culture, but it was a joy to watch him seeing new things in his own country. His passion for his home was very evident.”

Jessica Cassidy &bullet; Submitted 02 Nov 2016

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“

Thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Laos. Our guide Lee was very knowledgeable and controlled his 6 senior travelers very well. Laos is a beautiful country and the people are very friendly. The only criticism I would have is the description of this being a 8 day tour, we thought it was really more of a 6 day tour but had a lovely time anyway. Thank you.”

Jayne Whiting &bullet; Submitted 22 Feb 2016

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“

Morning Charlie,

OTG have outdone themselves yet again with yet another fabulous tour. Pom was an excellent guide and was super helpful and informative throughout the trip, even to the point of offering me options when part of our activities included something I have a great fear of, but his manner put me at ease and helped me embrace my phobia. I left my completed questionnaire with him on my departure date.

I've voted for OtG with the British Awards (putting my London office's postcode in that required field).

Many thanks for all your valuable assistance
”

Trina &bullet; Submitted 17 Sep 2013

“

This was my first trip with On The Go Tours, and if all of OTGT's trips are this well-organized and the guides are as knowledgeable and friendly as Vanh, then I hope I can participate on more trips. Vanh is an exceptional guide. I learned quite a lot about Laos and its people during the trip thanks to Vanh's explanations and answering all of our questions. Both Vanh and Mr Keo took very good care of us throughout the entire week. I was very impressed by Mr Keo's driving skills, especially in the difficult mountain passes. I was also very impressed with Vanh's command of the English language...

Life can be unpredictable and we understand that sometimes it’s necessary to change or delay your travel plans. With our LIFETIME DEPOSIT guarantee, you can book our Signature tours safe in the knowledge that if you’re unable to travel, your deposit is fully transferable and will be held for an unlimited time.

Laos Group Tours

Cover the highlights of Laos on a one-week trip or combine with neighbouring Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam for a longer adventure through Indochina. Enjoy 3-4 star accommodation, plenty of cultural experiences and lots of inclusions.

Our tours to Laos include arrival and departure transfers, all transportation, sightseeing visits, the services of experienced local tour guides and a number of your meals, making it easy for you to sit back, relax and enjoy your holiday.

Our carefully planned itineraries are an ideal way to explore the highlights Laos, either by itself or in combination with Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Staying at comfortable 3-4 star hotels and guided by our local tour guides, you get to see the sites with your tour group and there's free time for you to relax or independently explore on your own.

On The Go's Signature group tours place local interaction and authenticity at the heart of your cultural travel experience. Upping the comfort stakes, this range is a clear cut above our Budget range.

Appealing to a wide age demographic from the 20s to 60+, we maximize your days with excitement and awe and then bring you home to a comfortable 4* hotel with western amenities, air-conditioning, WiFi and, where appropriate, a swimming pool. Hotels can sometimes be of 3 or 5 star standard too, ensuring you get the best value for your holiday.

Visiting all the main attractions you’ll be accompanied throughout by our highly qualified English-speaking local guides too. Group size is typically 18 with a maximum for 24, apart from festival tours, where group sizes can be larger due to the one-off nature of these events.

Guaranteed Departures

This tour is 100% guaranteed to depart with travellers.

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For all our tours and tailor-made holidays we provide you with a clear categorisation of all hotels we use. The REGIONAL CATEGORY indicates the local rating of each hotel in each respective country. We have also rated each hotel using OUR CATEGORY, which will be in line with generally accepted western hotel grading standards.

SimpleBasic hotels and simple accommodation is a no frills option with an adventurous authentic feel.

StandardStandard accommodation equates to a Western 3-star standard, always featuring en-suite rooms and usually a restaurant.

SuperiorSuperior accommodation equates to a Western 4-star standard, featuring en-suite rooms and usually a restaurant and often a swimming pool and/or a fitness centre.

DeluxeDeluxe accommodation equates to a Western 5-star standard, usually featuring spacious, en-suite rooms, a restaurant, swimming pool and fitness centre and an array of amenities, excellent service and customer care.

LavishLavish accommodation equates to a Western 5-star plus standard - the creme de la creme. Featuring spacious, en-suite rooms, a restaurant, swimming pool and fitness centre and an array of amenities, this accommodation is a cut above the rest. Sheer opulence!

Tipping Kitty

Tipping is not a natural part of many Western cultures and many of us feel uncomfortable, or unsure, about when, or how much, to tip. However, in Laos, tipping makes up a significant part of many people's wages so it's important that we get it right. For this reason we've developed a very simple system to take all the hassle out of tipping. With our 'tipping made easy' policy, a nominal pre-determined amount is collected from all group tour participants to cover tips en route. This then saves you the hassle of when and how much to tip bellhops, luggage handlers, local guides and other support staff through the tour. Our 'tipping made easy' doesn't include a tip to your group tour leader. Naturally, though, the amount is up to you as tipping is an entirely personal gesture.